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Colorado and Beverages

The Colorado Business Review (CBR) is a quarterly publication of the Business Research Division at the Leeds School of Business. Past issues of the CBR have looked at things as broad as the general Colorado economy to much more specific topics like water and irrigation. In particular, the October 2012 issue examined the beverage industry in Colorado, and so this post will look at some of content of that issue.

In Boulder, we know associate Ball Corporation with Ball Aerospace, its division which designs and builds satellites, and the jars seen at local businesses like Cosmos pizza. In an article written by Jim Peterson, a Vice President at Ball Corporation, we learn about the other 90% of Ball’s revenue: manufacturing cans. The cans they produce are used by beverage companies all over the world, but many of them are here in Colorado. One of their largest customers is Coors, located in Golden, CO (also the site of a Ball facility). Not all of Ball’s customers are large corporations, though; some of Ball’s other customers are smaller, local firms like New Belgium Brewing and Oskar Blues.

Another article, written by Doug Caskey of the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, talks about the thriving wine industry present on the western slope. Centered around Grand Junction in Mesa County, the industry is aided by the abundance of sunlight and the arid environment. Although small, the industry is growing rapidly: a study from 2006 estimated its impact at $21 million, while a later study in 2009 suggested that impact had grown to $60 million.

Erin Humphries, a Senior Product Manager at Celestial Seasonings, writes about the changes taking place at Celestial Seasonings. The firm, headquartered in Boulder, sells its products around the world. While usually associated with tea, the article is quick to point out that Celestial Seasonings is diversifying into other beverage types, including wellness and energy drinks. The firm is also putting a new spin on its classic Sleepytime tea line: “Sleepytime Snooz shots”.

To find other issues of the CBR and other publications from the Leeds School of Business, go here.